


You Could Complete Me

by spookycat



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Day 4: Soulmarks, F/F, Fluff, Hate to Love, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Swan Queen Week Summer 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-04 01:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15831090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookycat/pseuds/spookycat
Summary: When Emma and Regina were children, their tattoos appeared just like everyone else's, displaying the first words their soulmates would say to them.The words weren't nice. They didn't take it well. This is what happened next.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Brief depictions of child abuse
> 
> *****
> 
> You can blame/thank my wife for dreaming up the premise of this story, complete with funny and flirty lines, and encouraging me to run with them. And thanks to Pleth for more great ideas and some much-needed cheerleading. Finally, Sam was super generous with her time and cheerleading and helped me nail down a solid majority of the plot. This fic seriously wouldn’t exist without any of you!
> 
> Please definitely check out the end notes when you're done reading!
> 
> Also, please check out the next chapter for the art that Swan_Mills7 created!

_ "All the guilty people" he said _

_ “ _ **_They've all seen the stain_ **

_ On their daily bread _

_ On their christian names _

_ I cleared myself _

_ I sacrificed my blues _

**_And you could complete me_ **

**_I'd complete you_ ** _ ” _

— “Court and Spark,” Joni Mitchell

 

* * *

  
  


Regina looked at her watch as she exited Granny’s, clutching a coffee in one hand and a to-go bag in the other. Today she’d have to settle for one of the diner’s lackluster bran muffins in place of a far superior homemade pastry. She was already angry with herself for running uncharacteristically late this morning, and knowing she was about to eat whatever processed junk was in this hasty breakfast was not helping. But the previous couple of days had been chaotic, and she hadn’t had time to bake.

 

It only took three steps from the restaurant’s door for her morning to become drastically worse.

 

She’d barely noticed the ladder on her way in. Now she just barely caught it in her periphery and was stepping around it, muttering about safety hazards, when she heard a clatter above her and a yelp. As if in slow motion, a thick, wet glob plopped onto her head and began oozing down her scalp just as something hard and pointy hit her shoulder and toppled down her body onto the ground, smearing a wide trail of the sticky substance in its wake. And of course,  _ of course _ it was the same shoulder of the arm holding her coffee, causing her to slosh at least half of it onto herself. Horror stricken, she glanced down to see a white-covered paintbrush on the sidewalk just as she heard “shit-shit- _ fuck _ ” being directed at her from above. She looked up to see an equally paint-smeared blonde clutching a tray atop the ladder.

 

“What the hell is  _ wrong _   with you?” Regina screeched, and only then did she stop short, registering the words that the other woman had uttered. A chill ran down her spine as a breath whooshed its way out of her lungs. The other woman’s eyes widened as she stared down at Regina before she stomped down the ladder and roughly set the tray on the ground. She leveled Regina with an icy glare as she came to face her, boldly stepping past what Regina would consider a respectable boundary of her personal space.

 

“You.” It was practically a growl, rising through Regina’s throat from the depths of a long-simmering pool of rage.

 

The other woman nodded tersely, a firm line spreading across her mouth.

 

They remained in a face off for a few seconds before Regina couldn’t stand it any longer. She forcefully slammed her ruined breakfast onto the porch so she could wipe the drops of paint running down her cheek.

 

“Hang on, I can get you a towel,” the woman managed to mutter through her clenched jaw.

 

“That won’t be necessary.”

 

“Fine. Walk around looking like you ran into a giant bird with IBS. Makes no difference to me.”

 

Regina felt so much blood rushing to her face she almost saw stars.

 

“Well, this is about as pleasant as I expected,” the woman continued. She reached down to grab a towel to angrily mop up paint from her ratty, white tank top and tight jeans with an indecent number of holes in them.

 

“Heard about the evil mayor, have you?” Regina snarled.

 

“Oh, you’re Mayor Mills? Then yeah, you sound like a treat.” The towel was tossed back on the ground as the woman returned stormy eyes to Regina’s. “But that’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.”

 

Something dark drew Regina’s eyes briefly to the woman’s chest, now wiped partially clean of paint. Bold, black text snaked across the skin just above her breasts. Despite a couple of letters disappearing beneath tank top straps, the message was clear. Written in two sizable lines of ironically beautiful script were the words Regina had said only moments ago: What the hell is wrong with you?

 

_ Serves her right _ , she thought.

 

Lifting her gaze to the woman’s face again, Regina looked her square in the eye. “Oh I know all too well, Miss Swan. I’d argue I’ve been forced to bear the more significant burden here, given your apparent propensity for vulgarity.”

 

The woman, whose name Regina in fact knew to be Emma, narrowed her eyes again. “So you know who I am, too?”

 

“No one moves into this town without me hearing about it.” Regina’s tone was now more carefully controlled, but the bite was still clear behind her words.

 

“ _ That’s _ not creepy at all.” Emma raised a pointed eyebrow at the scowl she received. “Look, I’m totally cool steering clear of Town Hall, so you can just go back to pretending I don’t exist.”

 

“After a lifetime of being forced to know you do?”

 

Emma let out an exasperated sigh. “Do you want to just show me where it is, and I can get rid of it for you?”

 

Regina stepped back as if stung, holding her wrist protectively to her chest. “I don’t want your filthy hands anywhere near me.”

 

“Back at you, lady.”

 

Emma turned and started refilling her tray. “For what it’s worth,” she said without looking back, “I’m sorry for the paint.”

 

“It’s not worth anything.” Regina spun on her heel and left, still seething.

  
  


********************************

  
  


Four days later, Regina found herself late for work yet again.

 

“Goddammit!” She slammed her palms against the back of her Mercedes. She was rummaging in her trunk when she heard the crunching of gravel as someone pulled up behind her.

 

“Goddammit.” Emma was already out of her beat-up Volkswagen Beetle before she got a glimpse of Regina’s face.

 

Regina’s jaw clenched. “I thought you agreed to stay away from me.”

 

“I didn’t know it was you, or I would have seriously considered it.” Emma sighed. “But since I’m here, do you want a hand?”

 

Regina sneered. “I’m perfectly capable of changing a tire, thank you.”

 

Emma had already moved to the trunk to pull out the spare. “Oh I’m sure you’re a master mechanic,” she chuckled sarcastically. “But there’s no reason you should ruin two suits in one week.” She settled onto the ground, this time in a different pair of already grease-stained jeans, and began removing the hubcap.

 

“ _ I _   didn’t ruin the other suit!” Regina stood with her hands on her hips, resigned to watch as Emma began working on the lug nuts.

 

“Well it wouldn’t be a problem if you didn’t wear such insanely expensive stuff.” Emma never looked up as she continued to work, her tone indifferent. “Must be nice to decide the most worthy cause for your money is your closet.”

 

Regina’s jaw dropped. “How dare you—” she stuttered, dumbstruck at Emma’s gall. “You have no idea—” She paused for a few deep breaths. “Just go! I can finish this.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m halfway done.”

 

Regina stormed off to get some distance, her pulse thundering through her veins. Emma worked in silence until the job was done. She had barely finished dropping the tools back in the trunk when Regina slammed it as she shoved past her. “Thank you,” she bit out, avoiding the sight of Emma Swan entirely as she walked around to her door, got in the car, and drove off.

  
  


***************************

  
  


Regina’s tattoo had come in fully just after her eighth birthday.

 

Hers was one of the first in her class to be done, but that was because a lot of the other kids had more words than she did. The most popular game in elementary school was to play a version of tattoo Hangman, trying to guess, as the letters filled in out of order over time, what everyone’s soulmate would first say to them. Only there weren’t blanks for each missing letter like in the original game, so it was much harder to know exactly how many letters were left.

 

Regina didn’t understand why everyone howled and pointed whenever she raised her hand in class. She eventually stopped trying even when she knew the answer, and her teacher, seeming to comprehend something she didn’t, never called on her. She was equally confused by the way her mother’s face looked like a storm cloud whenever she reached for something across the dinner table, or how she slapped her hand out of the way when Regina was greeting company. “She’s getting over a cold,” her mother would laugh tightly, even though Regina hadn’t been sick.

 

One Sunday morning, after three months had gone by without any more letters coming in, Regina’s mother drove her to a doctor’s office an hour away from where they lived in Storybrooke. It was cold and had a stale smell, and not a single person was in the waiting room or at the nurses’ station. Regina had a bad feeling from the moment they walked through the door.

 

She was right to.

 

For once Regina’s mother was eager to show her wrist to someone, holding her arm out for the doctor to observe the large, thick letters wrapping around it: SHIT SHIT FUCK. “I’m not sure this will work,” he said grimly to her mother, avoiding Regina’s eyes. “I’ve never had luck with it before, and most people don’t want to put up with the... procedure for very long.” He glanced uneasily at Regina.

 

“Just do it.” Mother’s eyes were chilling as she passed the doctor a large wad of cash, and he quickly turned around to flip some switches on a machine.

 

For the next hour, Regina cried her eyes out as the doctor tried to remove her tattoo with some kind of laser wand. At first she wailed and struggled, begging them both to stop the hot zaps that were burning her tender skin. Eventually she quieted down to resigned whimpers, even as her mother barked at the doctor to try a higher energy level.

 

The mark didn’t so much as fade.

 

On the ride home, Mother took her to a department store and picked out a variety of gloves for Regina to try on. She slid them carefully over her bandaged wrist and held them out for her mother’s approval.

 

From that day on, Mother never let her out of the house without gloves or long sleeves, no matter the season. Regina eventually learned what the words meant, and while she didn’t entirely like the idea of them being on her body, she would have been content to live with them if it meant she wasn’t always hot and uncomfortable. If it meant she didn’t have to look at the scars that now accompanied the indestructible letters on her wrist.

 

Regina didn’t know why her soulmate would say such things to her when they first met, but when she was still relatively young and naive, she tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, her soulmate would have the power to remove the foul words with a sweep of their hand, and maybe then they could be happy together. 

 

But by the time she hit her teens, her mother had become so controlling that Regina felt far less forgiving. Mother policed Regina’s every move, digging up unlikely dirt on anyone who tried to be Regina’s friend, and allowing very few people to visit their home. “I will not tolerate you socializing with the kind of trash who speaks that way.” When it was time for Regina to attend high school, her mother pulled her from the school system entirely and forced her to finish her education isolated in their giant, forbidding house, except for a couple of thoroughly vetted tutors. During that time, she was also groomed to receive carefully chosen suitors. “Not everyone chooses to be with their soulmate, you know. There are much better options for you, Regina. You have the potential to make a suitable match for a truly respectable man, one who could rise through the ranks and take you with him.”

 

Regina wasn’t even sure she wanted to be with a man at all, no matter how powerful he might be.

 

Through all of this, Regina’s father was the sole dim light in her life. He was a quiet, unassuming man, usually found in his wife’s shadow. Regina would never fully understand why he didn’t speak up, didn’t object to Mother’s treatment of her, but when they were alone he would at least provide the only source of love and kindness Regina received in her own home. When she completed her schooling and prepared to go off to college (a very small, very prestigious school of her mother’s choosing), her father gave her his own large, elegant watch. It dwarfed her wrist, and her mother thought it looked dreadfully tacky, but as soon as Regina was free of her reign she wore it every day, allowing her hands to be touched by sunshine for the first time in a decade. Her father died a few short months later, but he’d left her the most precious gift she’d ever received.

 

She never came across her soulmate, not at college or in the several years that followed. She moved back to Storybrooke with her own ambitions, armed with the strength and confidence to keep her mother mostly out of her life. Nonetheless, her mother would send the occasional note taking credit for Regina’s many accomplishments. She lived just long enough to see Regina elected the youngest mayor in the town’s history before an unexpected heart condition cut her life short, leaving Regina with a certain kind of peace she’d never felt.

 

Finally free to build the life she truly wanted for herself, Regina began weighing her options. The only thing she knew for certain was there was one person she didn’t want in it.

  
  


*****************************

  
  


A few weeks after the tire incident, Regina slammed her phone down in a huff one afternoon in her office. The air conditioner there was on the fritz, but Storybrooke’s one HVAC repairman was booked solid for the rest of the week. Maine was experiencing an unusual heat wave.

 

Regina might not have been so frustrated if his last suggestion hadn’t been, “You could try calling that Emma Swan. She’s been helping me out some, and her work is pretty damn good. If I don’t watch out, she could put me out of business.”

 

This was the fourth person who’d recommended Emma to Regina for some odd job or another. It felt like everywhere she turned, people were singing her praises. She knows about so many things, she’s really thorough, she found my long lost brother, she got my cat to swallow his pills on the first try,  _ blah blah blah _ . No one was really that amazing.

 

She’d overheard two teenage boys refer to “that hot lady who fixes shit” at Granny’s yesterday and nearly spit out her coffee. What the hell kind of spell did Emma have this town under?

 

Regina was interrupted from her reverie of hate when a knock came at her door.

 

“Hey.” Sabine pushed it open with a grin. Regina grudgingly unclenched to offer her friend a small smile. “Just ended my morning shift and thought I’d see if you’d had lunch yet.”

 

Sabine knew Regina well enough to know the answer was no. That was probably why she’d come.

 

Sabine had been the first friend Regina made upon her return to Storybrooke — they met volunteering at a soup kitchen — and had basically been a breath of fresh air that inexplicably kept on giving ever since. They’d even become roommates, fighting each other nightly for control of the kitchen in their loft apartment, until Mother died and Regina inherited her childhood home. Regina had been moral support as Sabine worked crazy restaurant hours to save money for a food truck that she’d since turned into one of Storybrooke’s most popular brick-and-mortar restaurants. And Sabine had been Regina’s hardest working volunteer in her first brutal mayoral campaign.

 

“Where did you want to go?” Regina asked.

 

“Maybe Rosa’s? I feel like tacos.”

 

Regina grinned this time — because when did either of them  _ not _ feel like tacos — and grabbed her bag so they could head out.

 

“So… my work computer got a virus last weekend,” Sabine said casually as they walked down Main Street. “The whole system malfunctioned, actually. We had to hand-write tickets and go cash-only for most of Saturday morning. It was a nightmare.”

 

“Sounds like it.”

 

“Yeah. Anyway, I needed help fast, and fucking August wasn’t answering his phone. But then I remembered someone had mentioned—”

 

“Stop.” Regina narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Sabine.

 

“What?”

 

“Not you, too.”

 

Sabine rolled her eyes. “I remembered someone had mentioned Emma Swan was good with computers.”

 

“Et tu?” Regina sighed, turning the corner onto Chestnut Avenue.

 

Sabine only laughed as she kept up with Regina’s brisk pace. If it had been anyone else, that laugh would have left them without a lunch companion. “Look, I was desperate.”

 

On the morning of the infamous meeting, Regina had called Sabine in a fit to help her get the paint out of her hair. She absolutely hated appearing incapable, but she’d been so consumed by rage that she was on the verge of pulling her hair out from scrubbing it so hard. Sabine came right over and got an earful in the process of using dish soap to gently coax the paint from Regina’s loose curls.

 

“Hmph,” came Regina’s grunt of a reply.

 

“I tried my best to despise her, but I hate to say she ended up being quick and helpful. Really nice, too, adjusted a wobbly table on her way out, free of charge. I can see why people keep talking her up.” Her shoulders rose in apology at Regina’s glare. They reached the restaurant and found a table near the window.

 

“Anyway,” Sabine forged on carefully. “It got me thinking. Would it really be so bad to see her just one more time? She’d probably remove your tat if you asked nicely. You could finally be rid of that baggage for good. And then you’d never have to see her again, at least not on purpose. Small town and all.”

 

“You know what kind of hell that woman put me through. She doesn’t deserve anything nice from me.”

 

“Technically,” Sabine scrunched up her face apologetically, and Regina waited for whatever it was she was about to dislike hearing, “your mom was really more of the queen of darkness here.” Regina opened her mouth, but Sabine rushed on. “I know, I  _ know _ , Emma played a part in it, and I don’t blame you for not being able to separate the two. I’m not saying you have to forget anything from your past, and you certainly don’t have to tell her the whole story. But she’d have to be an idiot to not understand the more obvious reason you’d want it gone.” She shrugged. “From what I can tell, she seems like maybe she’s not be a completely terrible person. She might just do this for you.”

 

“Maybe she is an idiot,” Regina grumbled, knowing that was unlikely. They sat in silence for a few minutes, except when the server came to take their orders. Only because Regina trusted Sabine to have her best interests at heart did she even try to objectively consider what she was suggesting.

 

“Suppose I did agree to this ridiculous idea,” Regina started, and Sabine smirked at the vague insult. “What makes you think she’d even agree to it? She doesn’t exactly have the highest opinion of me either. She’s made that quite clear.”

 

“I think I know how I can make it happen. You can leave that to me.”

 

Regina raised an inquisitive brow but didn’t push it. The less she had to think about Emma Swan, the better. “I’ll consider it,” she said finally. Sabine grinned.

 

“Awesome, Regina. I think this could really help you heal. And hey, who knows, maybe you’ll even like her.” Sabine smiled and thanked the server as he placed a massive barbacoa taco in front of her.

 

“Don’t hold your breath,” Regina said, squeezing lime onto her carnitas. “And I’m not making any promises beyond thinking about it.”

 

Satisfied, Sabine shifted the conversation to the more neutral topic of her upcoming wedding to her long-time fiance, Drew. Their tastes often conflicted, with Drew’s being much more garish, providing a good laugh for the women as they finished their lunch.

 

Regina turned to Sabine as they arrived back in front of Town Hall a short time later. “Thanks for the invitation. I needed that.”

 

“Anytime,” Sabine replied, pulling Regina into a hug like she always did, knowing full well Regina wasn’t a hugger. “Let me know what you decide about Emma. Oh! I almost forgot.” She dug into her bag and pulled out a small pastry box. “Tell Henry we’re even.”

 

“Even?” That sounded suspicious.

 

“He’ll know what it means.” Sabine grinned mischievously and said no more before walking to her car. Regina just shook her head. She was grateful her son had such a good relationship with her friend, even if it did stem from an interest in baked goods made by someone other than her.

 

As she walked back up the stairs, she absently twisted the large watch on her wrist. Was she really considering reaching out to the person responsible for so much misery in her life? She’d never really imagined closure to be possible, but maybe something out there was trying to hint otherwise.

  
  


*************************

  
  


After a week and a half of swinging back and forth between “eff her” (Regina could never bring herself to say the word) and “what if,” she sat drumming her fingers nervously against a table at Granny’s. Emma wasn’t late; Regina was early. Thirty minutes early. She’d thought allowing for extra time would help her figure out what to say, but instead she’d mostly just been staring at a menu she already knew quite well.

 

She wasn’t exactly familiar with apologizing.

 

It was a mindset she’d developed during her upbringing. She used to apologize all the time for embarrassing her mother with something so shameful, hoping one day she might break through and appeal to a shred of compassion in her mother’s heart.

 

Eventually she realized there wasn’t a shred to win over. Moreover, once she came to understand she was asking forgiveness for something that wasn’t even her fault, she resolved never to take on that kind of guilt again. And due to the meticulous and guarded way she led her life, in her mind she did very little to feel guilty of. Every move she made, every last comment was calculated and justified.

 

But even she could acknowledge she’d perhaps lashed out inappropriately when she first encountered Emma.

 

What made it click was when she reflected back on the time Henry had asked her why his first-grade teacher had a little drawing on his arm of a hand depicting American Sign Language for “restroom.” (Mr. Hopper’s parents were deaf, and it turned out his soulmate was also. He’d seen Mr. Hopper signing in conversation across the room at a party and raised his hand above the crowd to ask where the facilities were.) Henry didn’t find the hand symbol odd since Mr. Hopper had been teaching the class several basic signs throughout the year. But he didn’t understand why someone would say such a silly word to their soulmate. Regina had explained that people didn’t always know they were meeting their soulmate, and their first words could be an accident. That’s why there were a lot of “excuse me” tattoos out there.

 

Maybe she owed it to Henry to take her own explanation seriously.

 

The door to Granny’s swung open with one minute to spare, and Emma entered, eyes searching the room. She saw Regina in the back corner and slid into the booth across from her. Her faded chambray shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, her tattoo on full display above the low-cut cami she wore underneath.

 

“Hey.” Her tone was not unfriendly, but her face contained no sign of eagerness to attend this little get-together. 

 

“Miss Swan.” Regina nodded, clearing her throat. “Thank you for meeting me.”   
  


“Well, I couldn’t pass up a month of free beignets, so here I am. I can’t stay long, though.”

 

“Of course.” Regina shook her head. “Sabine is a menace with her free treats. My son has been on the receiving end a few too many times. I’ve told her it’s a terrible business model.”

 

Emma’s eyes widened a bit. “You have a son? Are you married or…” She trailed off, her eyebrows furrowed.

 

“Never married, no. I adopted him on my own more than six years ago, just before he turned three.”

 

They were interrupted by their server, Ruby, coming by for their orders. Regina thought she caught Ruby giving Emma an inquisitive look, but she ignored it. She knew it would be a surprise for almost anyone in town to be seen with the uptight mayor. Regina got coffee and Emma ordered hot chocolate — an interesting choice in summer — and they were alone again.

 

“That’s, um, that was really cool of you to adopt a kid.” Emma’s voice was slightly strained.

 

“Easiest decision I’ve ever made.” Regina couldn’t prevent a faint edge from arising in her own voice as she continued. “You know, if you ever felt like supporting a  _ worthy cause _ in town, I run a fundraiser every year for the small group home here. We could always use volunteers.” She considered her snark warranted. After all, she told Sabine she’d give Emma a chance; that didn’t mean she had to be a saint.

 

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Emma let out a resigned sigh. “Look, what I said that day was uncalled for. I’m sorry for making a snap judgment.”

 

“Yes well, I suppose I owe you an apology as well. It’s possible I overreacted when we met.”

 

That actually elicited a smile. “I don’t know, I mean I did dump paint all over you.”

 

“Yes, you did.” Regina raised a pointed eyebrow at her, remembering the feeling of the thick substance dripping slowly down her neck. “But I think it’s fair to say neither of us has probably ever been fond of… certain phrases, and I may have let that get the better of me.”

 

Emma just nodded, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, she seemed to regain focus and said, “Okay.”

 

“Okay,” Regina echoed. What followed was an excruciating minute of awkward silence until they were rescued by Ruby with their drinks.

 

Regina watched as Emma took a slow sip of her steaming drink, then closed her eyes and let out a tiny, happy sigh. It was the first time she’d properly seen the woman without her face tensed in anger. She actually had some lovely features: prominent cheekbones, a hint of dimples in her cheeks, and…

 

Captivating green eyes that were now trained intently on her. Regina cleared her throat again, embarrassed to be caught staring. “So, how did you find your way to Storybrooke?”

 

“Well, I was getting a little burnt out from my job as a bounty hunter.” Regina’s eyebrows shot up. “So I was looking for something a little less chaotic. My friend Lily said her mom lived in some quiet, boring town in Maine, which sounded perfect. So here I am.”

 

Regina pursed her lips, indignant. “Storybrooke is  _ not _ boring. We have a thriving community of artists, excellent schools, a variety of things to do outdoors—”

 

Emma laughed. “Easy, Madam Mayor. I totally agree, it’s a cool little town.”

 

Regina’s mouth quirked up, pleased.

 

“Anyway, I kind of learned to be resourceful growing up, so I’m just doing odd jobs until I can figure out my next move. Not sure if it’ll be here or if I’ll end up roaming a bit.”

 

“Sounds like an interesting plan. Or lack thereof, I suppose.” Regina offered a small smile to show she wasn’t judging, but Emma didn’t notice because she was checking the time on her phone. With her heartbeat ticking up a bit, Regina realized she had to get to the point before she lost Emma. She sucked in a breath and said, “So did Sabine tell you why I wanted to meet?”

 

“Not really.” She shrugged. “Something about getting off on the wrong foot. I never would have thought you gave a shit about that. Seems like you kind of  _ enjoy  _ the wrong foot to me. But she clearly likes you, and there were the beignets, so I figured why not.”

 

“Fair enough. I was actually wondering if your offer still stands.”

 

“Offer?”

 

“Yes, your offer to… well, you may not even remember that you said it, but you offered to remove my tattoo.”

 

“Oh, that.” Emma’s face stayed maddeningly neutral, and Regina was worried she was about to have to grovel. “It’s just, I meet a lot of people in my position, including children, and—”

 

“Sure, no problem.” Regina was taken aback by the sudden kindness in her eyes. “I’m guessing it’s under that ginormous watch you’re wearing,” she added with a nod to Regina’s wrist.

 

“Yes.” Regina, feeling inexplicably self-conscious, slowly undid the buckle of the worn leather strap and removed the watch from her wrist. Biting her lip, she slid her hand across the table.

 

A dark look washed over Emma’s face as she took in the tattoo, or more likely the faded scars. “I’m— I’m sorry,” she said faintly. Without waiting for a response, she carefully lifted Regina’s hand in her own. The gentle contact sent a flutter through her chest. Then Emma began to trace strokes up and down, sweeping across Regina’s skin like a feather-light eraser. Tingles ran up Regina’s arm at the almost hypnotic and rather intimate touch. Emma turned her hand over to face palm-up and continued her careful strokes. When it was done, they both continued to look at the pristine skin (though the scars remained) for a few moments before Regina caught herself and pulled her hand away.

 

“Thank you,” she croaked, her mouth dry.

 

“Don’t mention it.” Emma’s face had gone neutral again, a sort of distance in her eyes that left Regina feeling oddly disappointed. “If there’s nothing else, I need to head out.” She dug into her pockets and placed a few dollars on the table.

 

“Okay, sure.” Regina said quickly, her voice returning. “But wait, do you want me to remove yours as well? I’d be happy to.”

 

Emma gave a minute shake of her head and a sort of grimace-smile. “Have a nice day.” And she was gone.

 

Regina watched her cross the street, unconsciously brushing her fingertips across her wrist. A second wave of tingles traveled up her arm, this time accompanied by a slight warming in her chest.  _ Just the tattoo magic _ , she thought as Emma disappeared around the corner.

  
  


**************************

  
  


Somehow they started bumping into each other after that. It was nothing more than a polite wave down the cereal aisle or a door being held when crossing paths at the entrance to Granny’s, but it was better than the hissing and bared claws that would have been expected a month ago.

 

Late one summer afternoon, Sabine joined Regina and Henry for frozen lemonades and a walk through the park. She’d texted Regina needing to blow off some steam after losing a battle over decorative napkin rings (“Seriously, who wants  _ golden frogs _ at their wedding dinner?”), and Henry’s solution was sunshine and sugar.

 

They were just nearing the path by the pond when Regina looked up to see Emma swiftly approaching, earbuds in and eyes on the ground as she jogged. She glanced up just in time to stop short right in front of the trio.

 

“Oh, sorry! I guess I was a little zoned out,” she panted, smiling. Regina inadvertently took in the healthy glow in her cheeks, the brightness in her eyes. “Running is kind of how I meditate.”

 

“Maybe I should try it,” Sabine raised a weary eyebrow, “or I’ll end up on blood pressure medication before this wedding is over.”

 

“Yikes,” Emma laughed, something Regina had never heard before and found rather charming. “Not to bring up a sore subject, but do you still need a DJ?”

 

“Oh no, we’re going with a jazz band now, which I’m actually kind of on board with. So you’re off the hook. Enjoy the open bar with everyone else,” she grinned.

 

“I got my suit!” Henry told Sabine, eager to join the conversation. “Mom let me pick the tie. It’s Hulk colors.”

 

“Ooh, sounds cool, kid. I love purple and green,” Emma said, sticking out her hand. “I’m Emma, by the way.”

 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Henry.” He gave her a firm shake.

 

“My son,” Regina added, and Emma turned those sparkling eyes toward her. Regina’s breathing suddenly became shallow.

 

“Wow, Is that your soulmate tattoo? You look like an action hero.” And of course Henry would be curious, because that’s all he ever was. But now Regina couldn’t help but follow his eyes to Emma’s chest, covered only by a sports bra and glistening with sweat like she’d just walked out of a Nike commercial. She felt a flush in her cheeks that had nothing to do with her son’s boldness. 

 

“Henry, what have we said about asking people about their tattoos?” Regina asked him patiently.

 

“Not to,” Henry replied. “It’s just… It has a bad word, like yours did.” He turned back to Emma. “How come you don’t cover it up?”

 

Regina turned apologetic eyes to Emma, who laughed, though her face had lost some of the shine that had been there moments ago. “Can you believe some people have such potty mouths?”

 

And while that didn’t answer Henry’s question at all, the diversion did the trick. “I know,” he said with a giggle. “My mom said her soulmate was a nice person who was just having a bad day, though. They even took the words away for her, but Mom said they’re just friends.”

 

Regina’s face was practically on fire now as Emma turned to her, a twinkle starting to return to her eyes. “Wow, friends huh? That sounds pretty good to me.” Regina just stood there, unable to find words, until Sabine’s voice cut in.

 

“Hey, we’ll let you get back to your moment of Zen. Come by the restaurant soon?”

 

Emma nodded, smiling at all of them now. “I will.” She turned to Henry one last time. “I hope to see you around sometime, kid.”

 

“Me too.” He grinned, easygoing as ever. Emma popped her earbuds back in and circled around them on the path.

 

Regina’s betraying eyes involuntarily drifted to watch her jog into the distance when she felt a nudge at her ribs. Henry was busy slurping his lemony slush, but Sabine was staring straight at Regina with a barely contained grin.

 

“What?” Regina huffed, meeting Sabine’s giddy eyes with a glare.

 

“Really? That’s how you’re gonna play it?” Sabine cocked an eyebrow.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Making an attempt at indifference, Regina shrugged and moved to follow where Henry had started to wander off the path.

 

Sabine’s voice softened just a hair as she fell into step beside Regina. “It’s okay to like her, you know. She  _ is  _ your soulmate.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ve simply reached a truce.”

 

“Oh, is that it, hm? A truce?” When Regina only nodded, Sabine shrugged nonchalantly. “Well that’s perfect, because Drew was just saying it’s been too long since we’ve had a party. I said he was batshit crazy since we’re planning a pretty significant one at the moment, but you know, maybe it  _ is _ time we had a few friends over…”

 

“Oh no,” Regina directed a threatening glare at Sabine, whose devilish smile just got wider and wider.

 

“Oh yes.”

  
  


*********************

  
  


Regina tried to relax her knuckles as they practically strangled the stem of her wine glass. The pinot noir was silky smooth on her tongue as she took an intentionally tiny sip. If she drank at the speed her combination of nerves and loneliness deemed appropriate, she’d be drunk in half an hour. Instead she stood tucked in a corner of Sabine’s spacious open-plan living room, observing spirited mingling beneath twinkle lights and wondering why she’d agreed to come.

 

Sabine had offered to pay for Ashley to watch Henry if Regina would just give her an hour, two tops. She was rather persistent, and Regina had finally agreed two days ago in part just to get her to stand down. Earlier this evening, when she couldn’t avoid getting ready any longer, Regina had changed clothes three times, unsure what people even wore to casual parties; she was so rarely invited to them. She’d settled on a simple, blue sleeveless dress, not too revealing or flashy. Even when she saw that more than half the partygoers had arrived in jeans, she still felt more like herself in her chosen outfit.

 

And true to her word, Sabine had kept her company for a while, drawing in a couple of other guests who laughed and chatted amiably enough. But it took less than five minutes after Sabine had gone to check on snack refills for the small talk to die out and the others to disperse.

 

Since then, most people who passed by extended a smile or even offered a short “Hi,” but no one seemed interested to stop and talk. Regina had expected as much. Between working long hours and being a single mother, not to mention her naturally reserved (and okay, sometimes prickly) demeanor, she really hadn’t gotten close to many people in town. No one, including Regina, had made much of an effort to reconnect as adults after being forced apart so many years ago.

 

The more she thought about it, a free babysitter really wasn’t worth this.

 

She’d seen Emma make a quiet entrance about 20 minutes ago, but she disappeared into the crowd relatively quickly, and Regina wasn’t about to go looking for her. No matter what Sabine thought, a couple of non-hate-filled interactions hardly made them friends.

 

Actually, Sabine hadn’t called them friends. She’d had the nerve to refer to Emma as Regina’s secret crush when running through the guest list with her earlier; Regina had of course immediately objected to such absurdity.

 

She knew she wasn’t fooling Sabine any more than herself, but if she didn’t give in, maybe she could regain control over emotions, or at the very least her ability to speak.

 

Regina rolled her eyes now just thinking about it and decided she was done. She’d given Sabine almost an hour, which she considered close enough to upholding her end of their deal. She turned to grab her bag from where she’d set it on the table beside her, and when she looked up again it was into the face of none other than said secret crush. No  _ not _ crush, just her soulmate. Her Emma.  _ Ugh, whatever, I give up. _

 

“Hey.” Emma stood before her in a black, characteristically tight tank top, this time with spaghetti straps, leaving her tattoo yet again completely visible.

 

“Hello.” Regina stood stiffly, still clutching her bag.

 

“Oh, don’t stop partying on my account.” A small smirk graced Emma’s lips. “Things look like they’re about to get crazy over here.”

 

Regina pursed her lips. “Not everyone can be the life of the party, Miss Swan. Good evening.”

 

Regina went to move past her, but Emma caught her arm. “Hey wait.” She smiled warmly this time, and Regina was unwittingly drawn back in. “Sorry, bad joke.”

 

“Oh.” What was it about this woman that made her so ineloquent?

 

Emma, suddenly aware that she still had her arm on Regina’s, dropped it and looked around awkwardly.

 

“So I’m gonna take a wild guess this isn’t your scene either.” Emma continued to stare out into the room full of people, and Regina wondered if she’d looked just as lost moments ago as Emma did now. Her heart almost ached at the faint, familiar longing she saw briefly cross features made all the more delicate by the soft lights.

 

Just as Regina opened her mouth to speak, the music in the background shifted to an upbeat, raucous number from the early 80s. The music had been all over the place tonight; maybe Sabine had needed a DJ after all, just not for her wedding. “Not exactly.” Regina raised her voice to try and compensate, but not too much for fear of drawing unwanted attention.

 

Emma took another swig from her bottle and said something Regina couldn’t quite make out.

 

“Sorry?” Regina half-yelled.

 

Emma stepped closer, near enough that Regina could feel the warmth radiating from her body, and she swallowed thickly. “I almost didn’t come,” Emma said again. Regina’s heart sped up just a bit as their eyes met, but then again, she wasn’t used to being this close to anyone other than Henry.

 

“Me neither,” Regina said, causing Emma to lean in a fraction more, leaning her ear far too close to Regina’s lips. Flustered, she pressed on nonetheless. “I was bribed.”

 

“Hm, we’re going to have to stop meeting that way.” Emma leaned back to offer Regina a soft smile, and nope, that rapid  _ beat beat beat _ in her chest wasn’t slowing down at all as she felt a genuine tug at her own lips. “I think... [ _ something incoherent _ ]... abusing her power.”

 

“Sorry, what?” God, this was painful.

 

“Do you want to go outside?” Emma leaned in again, and Regina was pretty sure that wasn’t what she’d said before, but that didn’t stop her from nodding.

 

Wordlessly, Emma turned and headed for the back door, leaving Regina to follow quickly behind. On her way out she caught Sabine’s eye. Sabine waggled her eyebrows, causing Regina to roll her eyes and mouth “shut up.”

 

The expansive back porch was surprisingly vacant, save for a group of three people talking quietly to one side. Emma went for the porch swing on the opposite end, and Regina hesitated before taking a seat beside her.

 

“Better,” Emma said on a sigh.

 

“I suppose I assumed you’d be right in the middle of it all,” Regina admitted. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re kind of the talk of the town these days.”

 

Emma didn’t smile, just shrugged. “Yeah, well.” She started peeling at the label on her beer bottle, and Regina wasn’t sure if she was going to say anything else. When she did speak, her voice had lost the ease that had only just been there. “It’s easy to be nice to someone who’s helping you out. Doesn’t mean much.”

 

Regina was slightly taken aback by the cynical response. She wasn’t really sure how to respond, so they sat in silence for several moments. Emma was tapping her foot again, and this time Regina noticed she was humming very softly to the music drifting from inside the house.

 

“I love this song,” Regina commented as Stevie Nicks reached the chorus of “Rhiannon.”

 

Emma looked at Regina out of the corner of her eye, and Regina held her breath, hoping the abrupt change of topic wasn’t an overcompensation. “Yeah, me too,” Emma said at last. “ _ Rumours _ is a better album overall, but this one’s solid.” Her voice took on a subtle air of confident enthusiasm.

 

“Hm, too close to call for me. This album also has ‘Landslide.’” Regina paused, momentarily transported back to her childhood. “But  _ Rumours  _ has a better album cover.” She could picture every last detail. In her youth, when Mother would go out and leave Regina in her father’s care, he would let Regina play his records. He had a lot of classical guitar and other beautiful, timeless Puerto Rican music, but he’d also collected a rather eclectic mix of more contemporary albums. Regina had always been fascinated by the woman in the cape on  _ Rumours _ .

 

Emma smiled thoughtfully. “True.”

 

Another pause, less awkward this time as “ _ dreams unwind, love’s a state of mind _ ” floated through the air.

 

“I didn’t know Fleetwood Mac even existed until I was 16.” Emma seemed to be travelling back in time just as Regina had. “I got a job at this little independent music store, and Glen, the manager, decided I needed to be educated. It was actually one of the best things anyone’s ever done for me.”

 

“Sounds like a cool boss.” Regina couldn’t imagine having a fun job or someone to look up to as a teenager.

 

“He was. Even when he caught me stealing from him.” Her mouth formed a sad line. “He just let me go, didn’t report me or anything.” Her fingers returned to the label. “That was almost worse. I think he was actually stupid enough to believe in me.”

 

Regina’s frown mirrored Emma’s. This conversation kept taking oddly personal turns, but Regina found she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she usually did when people started sharing. This time she only wanted to know more.

 

“Maybe he saw potential in you.” She cringed inwardly at the trite response, but in that moment she would have said anything to lift Emma’s spirits. She just didn’t know her well enough to know how.

 

“He would have been the first.” Emma blew out a long breath through tight lips and leaned back in the swing. “I didn’t exactly grow up with a lot of, um, positive role models.”

 

A mirthless laugh escaped Regina’s lips. “I can relate.”

 

“What? I thought you grew up in that mansion you live in.”

 

“Oh. Yes, I did,” Regina said, not quite understanding the connection, but feeling herself blush all the same. She knew how Emma felt about wealth. “But my mother was… Let’s just say I didn’t get any of my parenting skills from her. The opposite, I hope.”

 

Emma was looking down toward Regina’s lap, and Regina followed her eyes to see that she’d been rubbing her own scarred wrist unconsciously. She quickly and unsubtly released her hands into her lap, embarrassed.

 

Emma looked up at her with knowing eyes. “I’m sorry she was a sucky mom.”

 

Regina chuckled sarcastically. “That’s a kind way to put it, but thanks. Me too. I’m guessing yours may not have been ideal either?”

 

Regina couldn’t say how long Emma looked at her then. She didn’t care. She found herself transfixed as Emma gazed at her, searching, as if something in Regina’s eyes might help her make a decision.

 

Whatever she was looking for, she must have found it.

 

“I didn’t have parents,” she said, holding Regina’s eyes for a moment longer before turning to stare into the distance. “I was found as a baby on the side of the road, and I grew up in the foster system, back and forth between group homes and families that were varying degrees of terrible.”

 

Regina grew very still, looking at the now hardened profile framed by moonlight.

 

“Nobody really wanted me for long, especially once I got older. And they were pretty clear about it.” Emma’s tone was dull, almost detached from what she was saying.

 

Regina had to fight an overwhelming urge bubbling up inside her to reach out for Emma’s hand or wrap her arms around her. That would be unusual even with Sabine, but now for some reason she felt compelled to hold this relative stranger. 

 

“So when my tattoo came in, my foster mom at the time thought it was fucking hysterical. She was always drunk, so she thought a lot of things were. One time she held my arms down and laughed so the other kids could write it all over my face with a marker. I had to scrub it raw to get it all off before school the next day.” She cleared her throat and took a final swig of beer that was surely warm by now. “I mean, it wasn’t the first time anyone had said that to me, or yelled it or… whatever, it seemed kind of appropriate. The tat was just something I could look at in the mirror every day to remind me where I stood. And hiding it only made it worse ammunition when anyone finally did see it. So I stopped. Easier to beat ‘em to the punch, you know? People can think what they want, but at least I can take away their power to hurt me.”

 

It was a valiant effort, but Regina could see in Emma’s eyes that she may not have entirely convinced herself what she was saying was true. Beneath those cursed words Emma was trying to use as a suit of armor, Regina could only imagine the defeated rhythm of a broken heart.

 

“I spent my whole life,” Emma continued, finally softer, almost to herself, “thinking if even my soulmate felt that way about me, I must be truly unlovable.”

 

And that may as well have knocked Regina over. A lump instantly formed in her throat; her chest got so tight that breathing was suddenly difficult. Emma continued to look at the open space in front of her, unable to see Regina’s stricken eyes.

 

But she was able to pull herself together after just a moment. This wasn’t about her.

 

“Emma, I—”

 

“—lost her ring in the batter!” A peal of drunken giggles preceded a pair of Sabine’s employees spilling out the back door. They paid no mind to Emma and Regina, just settled sloppily into the chairs nearby.

 

“That would’ve been one hell of a thing to find in your dessert!” 

 

“Yeah, but she found it. She was really pissed about having to toss the batter though.”

 

Regina glared daggers at them, but they went unnoticed. Emma brushed off her jeans and abruptly stood, jostling Regina a little in the swing.

 

“I’m gonna head out. Tell Sabine thanks.”

 

Before Regina could respond, Emma was down the back steps and making her way around the house.

 

Regina sighed heavily. One thing was sure about her enigmatic soulmate. She’d definitely perfected the art of the hasty retreat.

  
  


*****************************

  
  


Things picked up at Town Hall in the two weeks following Sabine’s party. The quarter had just ended, meaning Regina was swamped with spending and compliance reports from all major city departments. She ate packed lunches in her office every day, and the only real communication she had with anyone besides her administrative assistant were texts from Sabine either venting or making sure she was alive, and silly photos from Henry that never failed to make her smile.

 

Today, however, there was light at the end of the tunnel, and she was rewarding herself with a root beer and her favorite salad from Granny’s.

 

She was also on a mission to find Emma.

 

Thankfully, she was armed with a reason that had nothing to do with their intense interaction at the party.

 

Fate was on her side, because as soon as she walked in, she noticed Emma practically swallowing a sandwich whole at a table near the back. She quickly placed her order and headed over to her.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but you’re just the person I was looking for.” Regina braced herself, half expecting Emma to bolt, but instead she simply looked up and swallowed.

 

“Oh, hi,” she said, self-consciously wiping her mouth. Regina, having walked here with purpose, was suddenly aware that this had the potential to be very awkward. “Um, what’s up?”

 

“Mind if I sit? It’ll only take a minute. I’m just waiting for my food.”

 

Emma blinked a couple of times in surprise, but her face quickly returned to neutral, and she gestured to the seat across from her. Regina gingerly set her bag down and perched on the edge of the chair, trying not to spook her by getting comfortable.

 

“I wanted to let you know about a job opportunity.”

 

Emma’s face relaxed considerably at that. “Oh? You need something fixed? Water heater? Toilet? I don’t do toasters.”

 

Regina chuckled, which made Emma’s eyes light up a little, which in turn made Regina smile broadly. When Emma’s own smile faltered a bit and her brows began to furrow, Regina realized she was supposed to be talking.

 

“No, actually, this would be a full-time position,” she hurried on, digging into her bag and pulling out an application. “I’m not sure if you’ve decided yet what you’re planning to do next, but I’d like to make a case for Storybrooke to be on your shortlist.”

 

Emma quirked an intrigued brow. “What’s the job?”

 

“Deputy sheriff.” Regina slid the paper over to her. “It may not interest you at all, which would of course be fine. But you said yourself you’re resourceful, and thinking on one’s feet is a key quality of the job. And with your past experience as a bounty hunter, you must be adept at investigating and apprehending suspects.” Emma was skimming the application, glancing up at Regina periodically to show she was listening. “I must warn you, though,” she continued, “a lot of the work you would see probably wouldn’t exactly be high profile. We’re not known for our high-speed chases.”

 

“You’ve seen my car. That would not end well.” Regina smiled in agreement before Emma’s eyes turned serious. “Um, will there be a background check? Like, juvenile records and everything?”

 

Regina held her gaze and said, “I don’t anticipate any issues.”

 

Emma let out a barely noticeable exhale. “So then would you be the one doing the hiring?”

 

“No, it will be up to Sheriff Nolan. I’m sure you’ve met him by now.” Emma nodded. “I do believe, however, that any recommendations I might make would be taken seriously.”

 

Ruby suddenly appeared at Regina’s side with a to-go bag. “Madam Mayor,” she nodded politely.

 

“Thank you, Ruby.” Regina turned back to Emma. “That’s my cue.” She pushed back her chair and stood.

 

“Thank you for thinking of me.” Emma’s eyes were soft, sincere, and Regina could swim in them. “I’ll definitely think about it.”

 

“Good.” Regina started to go, but finding it hard to leave, turned back. “Do you eat here for every meal?”

 

“Pretty much, yeah?” Emma replied sheepishly, causing Regina to rush on.

 

“Would you like to come over for dinner some night? Have something other than diner food?”

 

Emma looked taken aback, but she stuttered out a “Yeah, sure.”

 

Regina nodded, all the while baffled that she’d initiated this. “Wonderful. Are you free tomorrow at 7?” Emma nodded. Struggling to keep her cool, Regina dug into her bag again. “What’s your number? I’ll text you my address.”

 

They said goodbye, and Regina quickly made her exit. Where the hell did that come from? That had decidedly  _ not  _ been part of her plan. Something about Emma was just pulling Regina deeper and deeper in every time she saw her. She barely noticed the walk back to her office as her mind spun over little details, such as whether she should serve an appetizer and that she should have asked about food allergies. Of course, she could just text Emma, because now they were officially in each other’s phones, which felt more significant that it probably should have.

 

But mainly her thoughts boiled down to what if her house was boring, what if  _ she _ was boring, and  _ what should she wear?  _

 

She’d never cared much for entertaining, probably because she’d never had the slightest interest in the people she’d been forced to play hostess to when she was younger. But now, something deep within her really, really wanted this to go well.

  
  


****************************

  
  


_ This may actually be a success _ , Regina thought as she took a sip of wine. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Emma across the dining table, who wasn’t looking back at her but at Henry. Regina’s heart warmed at the sight of Emma’s cheerful face as she listened to him chat animatedly about video games. 

 

Earlier in the evening, as Regina was putting the finishing touches on the salad, Emma had enthusiastically joined Henry to play Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. “You did okay for your first time,” he’d said as they entered the dining room. “Mom could show you some pointers, though. She’s better at the strategy stuff than me.”

 

“Is that so?” Emma’s face was part delight, part surprise as she’d raised an eyebrow at Regina.

 

Regina had shrugged with a coy smile. “My enemies deserve no mercy.”

 

“Then it’s a good thing we’re friends.” And Emma had  _ winked _ at her over Henry’s head. It was playful; she’d probably thought nothing of it. But Regina’s heart skipped a beat, and she’d hastily exited to the kitchen to grab their wine before Emma could see the color in her cheeks.

 

It was bad enough that when she’d opened the door earlier, Regina was momentarily frozen, taking in the sight of Emma. Her dark lashes were impossibly long, her lips a touch glossier than usual. She wore black skinny jeans free of her customary holes, and a button-down blouse that was a deep shade of purple, complementing her eyes. This time there was no tank underneath, and her shirt was unbuttoned to a place that made Regina swallow a little roughly.

 

The only saving grace was that Emma had not-so-subtly given her a once-over as well. Apparently Emma appreciated the classics; Regina’s little black dress was just low-cut and snug enough to be flattering yet not too showy for a dinner at home.

 

Breaking from her reverie at the dinner table, Regina took the opportunity to retrieve dessert plates and a pie made with blueberries she and Henry had picked last weekend.

 

When Emma took her first bite, she sighed dramatically. “If you told me someone was breaking into my car right now, I’d let them take it so I could finish this.”

 

“Don’t say that in your deputy interview,” Regina chided before adding quickly, “if you decide to stay and apply.”

 

Emma swallowed another bite. “Do you need a taste tester? Because I’d stay forever if I could apply for that job.” She shot Regina a winning grin that pleased her to her core.

 

“That job’s taken.” Henry’s smug reply took both women by surprise — and Regina would deny to the end of her days that she’d forgotten he was there — and they burst into laughter.

 

“Fair enough, kid. But if you ever need to take a day off, you let me know.” He nodded goodnaturedly.

 

They ate in silence for a moment before he piped up again. “How old were you when you got your tattoo?”

 

Regina, with worried eyes suddenly focused on Emma, opened her mouth to interject. But Emma, seemingly reading her mind, gave a tiny shake of her head before saying to Henry, “Um, I think it finished when I was 10?”

 

“My mom was eight. I’ve already got half of mine, and I’m not even nine and a half. I might beat you!” His little chest puffed out in a way that brought Emma’s smile back. “Mine’s even got a lot of words like yours does.”

 

“Oh?” Emma gave Regina a glance, unsure if this was a safe topic. Regina was happy to rescue her.

 

“Tell Emma what you think it’s going to say,” she encouraged Henry.

 

“I’m not positive...” Henry stuck out his leg and pulled up his jeans so Emma could see the writing on his calf. “But I’m pretty sure the only thing it could be is ‘Do not hunt a space alligator.’”

 

Regina watched as Emma bit back a laugh. She nodded seriously and squinted at his leg more closely. “I think you may be onto something.” He smiled at her proudly.

 

“Henry, will you please clear our dessert plates? I put your new comics on your desk upstairs. I thought you might want to read a little before bed.”

 

“Oh yeah!” Tattoos forgotten, he gathered the plates and disappeared into the kitchen.

 

When he walked back by on his way to the stairs, Emma called after him. “Oh hey kid, in case I don’t see you before I leave, thanks for showing me the ropes earlier. Next time I’ll show those Rabbids who’s boss.”

 

“I think you’re gonna need more practice for that,” he said frankly. “We can show you. Good night!” He trotted up the stairs and into his room.

 

Emma gave Regina a bright smile. “That’s one hell of a kid. Not afraid to say what he thinks.” She raised an eyebrow. “Can’t imagine where he got that.”

 

“It’s a respectable quality,” Regina said in mock indignation. “It’s important to let people know where they stand.”

 

“Mmhm. Or where they can shove it.” Regina’s mouth flew open to fire back, but Emma threw her head back in a disarmingly infectious laugh, and she was helpless but to join in.

 

“How would you like another glass of wine? Or I have homemade cider if you prefer?” It was out of her mouth without a thought, but she had no regrets for asking.

 

“Homemade cider, are you kidding? At this rate you’re going to have to kick me out of your house. But I should warn you,” she said seriously, “despite evidence to the contrary, I can’t be bought. A sheriff’s deputy has to have some integrity.”

 

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Regina knew this was all in good fun, but the part of her brain that was in control this evening was very much starting to enjoy the implication that Emma was considering staying in town. “I’ll be sure to note that in my recommendation: Almost never accepts bribes.” She stood and led the way to her study. “Make yourself comfortable.”

 

“This whole room looks comfortable.” Emma spun slowly, taking it in. “You have a beautiful home, Regina.”

 

Regina was perhaps more moved by the simple compliment than it really warranted. She had made every attempt to exorcise the house from its chilling history to make it a warm, safe space for her family. Much of it had been gutted, but this room held the remains of her few good memories here. Her father’s favorite leather chair sat in front of the fireplace, and his turntable and records lined a tall shelf in the corner.

 

“Thank you.” It came out softer than intended, and what she said next wasn’t meant to be out loud at all: “It wasn’t always.” She busied herself with pouring drinks. When she was done, she carried them over to where Emma sat in a chair in front of the coffee table. Regina took a seat on the sofa nearby.

 

“Feel like talking about it?” Emma’s eyes were so soft, so welcoming that Regina almost took her up on her offer.

 

“Another time,” she said instead.

 

Emma gave a simple nod of understanding. “Nice record collection,” she smoothly redirected, and Regina felt an appreciation deep in her bones for having someone not look at her with pity or fascination about her past.

 

“Most were my father’s. He had exceptional taste.” Her lips curved up at the memory. “I’ve tried to keep up the habit.”

 

“More 70s tunes?”

 

“Some, yes. It was a fantastic time for music. I used to spend hours in here, listening to the same records over and over, away from everything. I could sing every word of Joni Mitchell’s album  _ Blue. _ ” Emma’s eyes perked up. “I won’t,” Regina smirked. “But I could.”

 

“I don’t know a lot of Joni Mitchell,” Emma admitted. “I tend to go more for the rock side of things. Bowie, Queen, that kind of stuff. I was big into T. Rex for a while, don’t know if you know them.”

 

“Only a couple of songs, I think. ‘Bang a Gong,’ ‘20th Century Boy’...”

 

“‘Ride a White Swan.’” Regina nearly choked on her cider. Emma’s face was the picture of innocence, save for a tiny, revealing quirk at one corner of her mouth. She waited for Regina to clear her throat and continued. “It’s not my favorite, but you have to admit it has a certain ring to it. It’s the song people say kicked off the glam rock movement. ‘Ride a White Swan.’”

 

Despite being taken by surprise, Regina didn’t miss a beat. She looked straight into cheeky, emerald eyes and said, “I’m certainly curious.”

 

Emma matched her gaze, her mouth breaking into a slow grin as she looked pleased to no end. She may as well be glowing for all the light she’d so easily brought into this house. Regina was eagerly feeding off it, feeling a buoyance she wasn’t sure she’d ever quite experienced. 

 

“You,” Emma shook her head appreciatively, “are not what I thought you’d be. You know, with the suits and the ‘Miss Swan’s and all that. Not that there’s anything wrong with those things.” She took a sip of cider. “You’re just full of surprises. Good ones.”

 

“Mm, I bet you say that to all your soulmates.”

 

“Just the one.” 

 

Emma’s eyes were more provocative now, and this must be what people meant when they said they got weak in the knees. Regina would have needed to take a seat if she didn’t already have one.

 

Thankfully, while Regina felt incapable of forming words into a sentence, Emma continued on. “If you want, I could make you a playlist?” The hesitance with which it was said was one of the few signals that gave away Emma’s nerves beneath her cool exterior. “You know, to remind you of some of the cool stuff you haven’t heard in a while, or maybe ever.”

 

“I’d love that.” Regina could think of nothing in this moment that would thrill her more. “I’ll do the same, if you’d be interested.”

 

The “yes” that rushed out of Emma’s mouth sent a shiver up Regina’s spine. Was it wishful thinking, or did Emma seem as excited as she was by the connection that seemed to be developing between them?

 

The conversation flowed easily, veering from music to anecdotes from their adult lives. Regina shared the story of her relationship with Sabine. Emma ran through a list of roommates, each of whom came with at least one comedic horror story. Despite the relatively superficial topics, they were completely absorbed in each other. Regina had just started talking about the day she met Henry when she heard his voice echo down the stairs.

 

“Mom, are you coming to say goodnight soon?”

 

Regina glanced at the clock and couldn’t believe almost an hour had passed. She stepped into the doorway to call up to him, “I’ll be up in just a few minutes, sweetheart! Don’t forget to brush your teeth!” She said it out of sudden nervousness, because of course he wouldn’t.

 

Emma, now standing as well, chuckled fondly. “He must be the only little boy in the world with a self-imposed bedtime.”

 

“He’s taken on some of my rather buttoned-up tendencies,” Regina said self-consciously. “I should probably encourage more relaxed behavior sometimes.”

 

“He seems really happy to me.” Emma’s face was soft as she took a tiny step closer. “He’s really lucky to have you.”

 

“No, I’m the lucky one.” It was the truest thing she could ever say.

 

“You’re both lucky, then. He also has good timing. I should be going,” Emma said, sticking her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I have to get up early to help Marco hang a sign before his store opens.”

 

“Of course.” Regina led her back out into the foyer. “This was lovely, thank you for coming. I know Henry enjoyed having you here.” With Emma still behind her, Regina could roll her eyes at herself as soon as the words were out.  _ Henry _ enjoyed it? Chicken.

 

“Thank you for inviting me. I had fun with Henry, too.” They’d reached the door and had nowhere to go but to stand facing each other. Emma’s hands were still in her pockets, a shy smile on her face. “And his mom.”

 

Regina’s stomach was fluttering madly. “Me too.”

 

Neither of them reached for the door handle. Regina probably should have — it would only be polite — but they were close enough that she could faintly smell Emma’s shampoo, and there was a hint of moonlight coming through the window and bouncing off her golden curls, and she was  _ helpless _ .

 

Then Emma was moving closer, right into her space, and saying, “Good night.” She placed a hand at Regina’s elbow and slowly leaned into her other side to place a whisper of a kiss on Regina’s cheek. Regina’s eyes slipped shut for the second Emma lingered there. Then instinct took over. As Emma was pulling back, Regina turned into her, so close Emma’s breath was on her lips. Emma stopped where she stood, and Regina looked into her eyes, wanting, and they barely had to move an inch for their lips to come together. It was soft at first, but enough to set Regina’s heart racing as Emma’s hand slid into her hair, the other snaking around her waist. She brought her own hands to cradle Emma’s face for a moment before she felt Emma’s tongue flick across her bottom lip. She immediately granted her entry, and every nerve ending in Regina’s body sparked to life with the intensity of it. As the kiss became more heated, she found herself being carefully backed up against her door. She reached around and grabbed Emma’s ass, pulling her tight against her, and Emma moaned into her mouth.

 

Just when Regina was thinking —  _ regretting _ — that this wasn’t the time to get carried away, Emma pulled back and said, “I really should go.” They were both breathless, bodies still against each other. Regina nodded, reaching up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind Emma’s ear. “But,” Emma said, looking at Regina with the sweetest expression, “do you think we could do this again sometime?” Regina bit her lip to hold in a grin, and Emma nudged her playfully and said, “Dinner! I mean would you like to have dinner again? You could show me one of your favorite places — besides your own kitchen.”

 

“I’d love to,” Regina replied, losing a battle with her giddiness and smiling broadly.

 

“Awesome. I’ll call you soon.” She leaned in to quickly brush Regina’s lips with hers one last time and said, “Good night. Again.” This time, despite feeling high as a kite, Regina managed to reach over and pull the door open, and Emma slipped through.

 

“Good night,” she called after her, and Emma flashed a smile that warmed Regina to her toes before heading down the walkway.

 

Regina closed the door and actually did the cheesy rom-com thing where she leaned back onto it and sighed dreamily. Tattoo magic or no, she could never have imagined this kind of exhilaration. Bringing a finger to her lips, she smiled to herself as she made her way to the stairs to go see Henry.

  
  


************************

  
  


Several months had passed since their first official date, three long days after that dinner. Emma had aced her deputy interview; Sheriff Nolan had already offered her the job before he even received Regina’s recommendation call.

 

If anyone asked, either woman would be quick to say the other was her girlfriend. It was an almost instantaneous reality. Still, the actual depth of the relationship was progressing slowly.

 

Initially, Regina didn’t mind. Henry was often involved in their plans, and it was only practical to be cautious about him getting attached. But as time continued to pass, she couldn’t deny her  growing passion for this woman who was constantly taking her breath away.

 

There were plenty of times when Regina could see her feelings reflected back in those smoky eyes. But it was almost as if Emma had forgotten herself, and when she inevitably realized it, Regina could sense her easing back to create a bit of emotional distance between them. Emma’s instinct to protect herself was understandable, of course, and Regina did her best not to be hurt by it. She was successful most of the time. Still, she ached to take the full plunge, to hold nothing back and fully be together, but she couldn’t jump alone.

 

It was possible she’d avoided the subject for fear of getting a response that might truly break her.

 

Their intoxicating physical connection made matters all the more complicated. Regina’s body barely felt complete anymore without Emma’s right next to her, on top of her, inside her. She’d never felt anything like it. Being with Emma fired up all her senses. Emma’s skin felt electric, warm and alive. Her scent and taste made Regina dizzy with want. Her voice, whether a whisper or a scream, sent a thrill through every last cell in Regina’s body.

 

Since it became clear rather quickly that they were drawn to each other like a pair of insatiable magnets, Emma took to wearing higher-collared shirts when there was a chance of them being alone together. No place was safe; Regina’s office, the sheriff’s station, even a particularly wooded area of the park had proved to be too enticing in certain circumstances.

 

The more conservative necklines were Emma’s choice. The first time Regina had tried to remove Emma’s shirt, after her own had already been discarded, Emma had stopped her hands and said self-consciously, “No, you might touch, um…” and gestured to the area where her tattoo sat beneath soft cotton.

 

This actually wasn’t an uncommon practice. Many soulmates chose to keep their tattoos out of sentimentality. But Regina was fairly certain that wasn’t Emma’s reasoning at all.

 

So anytime Regina touched Emma’s breasts, it happened through her shirt, keeping her skin safely covered. And while Regina would love to feel every part of Emma, she unquestioningly accepted this practice, because making Emma feel safe and respecting her needs was more important to Regina than anything.

 

One winter evening when Henry was at a sleepover, Regina and Emma were wrapped in a blanket on the couch, Emma naked from the waist down, Regina in lacy underwear that had been hastily pushed aside in a particularly fiery moment. Regina’s hand was resting on Emma’s hip, and Emma was running her fingers over Regina’s back, drawing little shapes and letters. Regina couldn’t tell if she was spelling out a message, but when she felt Emma draw several hearts in a row, she took it as a sign. A wave of courage washed over her, even as her stomach began churning. 

 

“How do you see us?” Regina ventured, her voice rough with nerves.

 

“What?” 

 

Regina swallowed and lifted her head to look at Emma. “I mean, do you see our relationship heading in any particular direction?” Emma stiffened beneath her. “There’s no wrong answer,” she rushed on. “You can take all the time you need to think about it, and you’re free to change your mind if you’re ever uncomfortable.”

 

Emma relaxed slightly, but she avoided looking Regina in the eye. Slowly running her fingers along Emma’s arm, she returned her head to Emma’s chest. “You know, even if we never move beyond what we are now, I’ll always be grateful to have you in my life.” Little goosebumps skittered across Emma’s skin as Regina continued to brush her fingers across it. “The past few months have easily been the happiest of my life, and I hope to have many more to come.” She laughed softly. “Sabine told me people are saying I’m a little less evil, and I don’t even mind. Much.” She chanced another glance upward and was rewarded with subtly upturned lips. Continuing to look Emma’s way, she said sincerely, “You’ve completely changed my life. It’s so much better because of you.”

 

Emma looked more vulnerable that Regina had ever seen her then, her brow furrowed and doubt filling her eyes. “I don’t think that’s possible.” It came out as a whisper.

 

“Of course it is, why wouldn’t it be?” Regina’s tone was kind, merely curious.

 

“Because I’ve never changed anyone’s life. I’m not… that’s just not me.”

 

Regina’s heart crumbled inside her chest. She sat up slowly, and Emma followed. Regina poured every ounce of compassion and affection she had into the gaze she shared with Emma as she took her hands in her own.

 

“I know I can never make up for what you’ve been through.” Regina had to fight through the lump in her throat. “And I regret so deeply the part my words played in the way you learned to feel about yourself.”

 

Emma shook her head emphatically. “It’s not your fault.”

 

Regina squeezed her hands gently. “It certainly didn’t help. But more importantly, it’s not your fault either.” Regina saw a hint of moisture begin to gather in Emma’s eyes as her jaw tightened. “No child deserves to be treated the way you were. The people who did that to you,  _ they’re _ the ones who were worthless excuses for human beings, not you. You were a brave little girl who did what she had to to survive. You are without a doubt the strongest person I know.”

 

She pulled Emma’s hands up to kiss them gently, trying to give herself a moment to tame the emotions whirling inside her. Still, her voice broke with her next words. “You are  _ so _ loved, Emma. By Henry, by the people in this town, and most of all by me. I may not have recognized it immediately, but the day you drove that monstrosity over the town line” — Emma let out a watery chuckle — “was one of the best of my life. You are beyond good enough for us, for  _ anyone _ , and you will  _ always _ have a place here.” Emma’s face was a mystery; Regina couldn’t tell if the intent look in her eyes and sharp crease in her forehead indicated she was absorbing Regina’s words or preparing to reject them. She took a steadying breath before continuing carefully. “You don’t ever have to let go of your tattoo if you don’t want to.” Emma bit her lip. “I understand if it’s important to you or helps you honor your past. I would never ask you to give that up.

“But Emma, if there’s any one thing you take away from our time together, I want it to be this.” She delicately placed her hand over Emma’s heart through her shirt. “There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing at all.”

 

A tear splashed onto Regina’s hand, and another as Emma lowered her eyes to her lap.

 

Regina couldn’t say how long they stayed that way.

 

“You can do it,” came her eventual, achingly quiet reply.

 

“What?” Regina asked softly.

 

Slowly, Emma reached down to take the hem of her shirt in her hands. As Regina watched, spellbound, Emma pulled it over her head. When she looked up, Regina saw renewed clarity in her eyes. In fact, she seemed as calm as Regina had ever seen her, all traces of vulnerability impossibly vanished.

 

“Take it.”

 

Nodding, Regina slowly raised a trembling hand and traced a tentative thumb across Emma’s sternum. Emma dipped her head to watch, mesmerized, as Regina carefully ran her fingers along the words. At last, when only the word “you” remained, Regina leaned forward and brushed tender kisses over it, and it disappeared beneath her lips.

 

Emma pulled her up and kissed her sweetly. Regina’s fingers clung to Emma’s back as she gathered her into her lap. Emma deepened the kiss immediately, arching her chest into Regina. They instantly moaned into each others mouths, ecstatic at experiencing this skin-on-skin contact for the first time. As heat filled Regina’s abdomen, she kissed her way down Emma’s neck, feeling Emma’s fingers tangle in her hair. She lingered on the spot she’d kissed before, then continued her journey to trace a nipple languidly with her tongue before taking it in her mouth. Emma hissed and rocked into her, sending a shockwave straight to her center. Before long, Regina’s underwear had joined everything else on the floor, and the only sounds echoing through the house for hours to come were their names on each other’s lips.

 

Much later, as they lay in a spent, sweaty heap on the floor, the last thing Regina heard before she drifted off was “I love you, too,” mumbled into her hair.

 

And at last, she knew what it was like to feel whole.

  
  


****************************

  
  


Epilogue

 

“Hi sweetheart, how are you?” Regina was holding her phone in front of her as she wandered through the first floor of the house until she found Emma on the couch in the living room. She sat next to her so they could fit together in the tiny frame.

 

“Hey kid, what’s up? How was the first day back?”

 

“Well technically I’ve been back at the office for a couple of days already, but the first day of class was… good.” His voice was almost strained, which was odd. This was his junior year at college, and he’d gotten to keep the same work-study job he had last year, helping in the graduate admissions office for the university’s fine arts program. So nothing should have been too stressful yet.

 

”I’m sure it’ll be nice to get back into a routine,” Regina smiled at him, brushing aside his vaguely confusing behavior. “Oh, I wanted to tell you, I read the most interesting feature on your gothic fiction professor on Sunday—”

 

“I met her!” Henry burst out.

 

“Who?” The professor Regina was talking about was a man.

 

“Space Alligator!”

 

“Ohhh,” Emma breathed out with cautious excitement.

 

Henry’s tattoo had eventually come in to say “Do you have a spare highlighter,” but the nickname had stuck nonetheless.

 

“So...?” Emma prodded lightly.

 

Henry sighed heavily. “So, she asked me and I looked up, and she was really pretty, like movie-star pretty. But you know, dressed like a college student.” He looked flustered just retelling it. “And I totally forgot all the lines we practiced...” And for this Regina was grateful, because Emma had been a truly terrible influence when it came to helping Henry think of “smooth” replies for when the big question came. “And I reached into my bag.” He sighed again. “Moms, her tattoo says ‘You can have my pink.’” He looked completely distressed.

 

Regina looked over to see Emma’s eyebrows at her hairline, her jaw tight in an attempt to hold in a laugh, so she tried to nudge her off camera. “She sounds lovely, dear.”

 

Emma recovered and said, “Yeah, did you get a chance to talk?”

 

“Not really, class was starting, and she had to leave right after. But she said to save her seat next time.”

 

“Yes!” Emma whooped, and Regina shook her head with absolute fondness.

 

“But it’s my fault she’s been walking around with those dumb words on her shoulder all this time.” He put his head in his hands. “I don’t know if I can look her in the eye again.”

 

“It’s gonna be okay, kid. And you ought to know by now that the words aren’t what’s important. What matters is who says them, and she’s about to find out she hit the jackpot.”

 

With tears threatening to form in her eyes, Regina nodded. “I agree, it’s going to be just fine. Try not to put pressure on yourself to make this perfect. A few bumps in the beginning are to be expected.”

 

“I know, I know.” And he did; he’d been subjected to the stories many times. “Okay, I’ve gotta go try to change lab sessions for my screenwriting class. I’ll call soon.”

 

“Bye! Good luck!” was Emma’s reply as Regina said, “Don’t forget your vitamins!”

 

Henry rolled his eyes lovingly and said, “Love you, bye.”

 

Regina ended the call, and Emma immediately rounded on her in amusement. “Bumps, huh?”

 

“I think that’s accurate, yes.”

 

“Regina, I literally said you looked like bird shit.”

 

Regina pursed her lips. “You did not literally say that, and you had your reasons. More importantly, what you said to Henry was right. They can get past any words in the end because they have each other.”

 

They shared dopey grins. “God, how did we get so lucky?” Emma said. “I think it’s time we take Sabine out for another thank-you-for-butting-in dinner.”

 

Regina nodded. “I’ll text her later. She’ll want to hear the news anyway.”

 

“Cool.” Emma leaned over to grab Regina’s face and kiss her quickly before reaching for her phone. “I’ve gotta add today to my list of dates you said I was right about something.”

 

Regina rolled her eyes in the exact same way their son just had.

 

After all this time, she still had moments when she was overwhelmed with a sense of wonder that she actually had  _ this _ family, in  _ this _ house. Long ago, when she was recreating this space for her adult life, she’d only ever expected to be able to find it tolerable; her real hope was for it to be a happy place for Henry.

 

Now, defying every expectation, it was even more than a happy place for all three of them. It was the first real home any of them had ever had.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT, THERE'S MORE:
> 
> Emma texted Regina less than 12 hours after she left her house that first night, because she has no chill, ever. Her text contained a link to a playlist you can find [here](https://open.spotify.com/user/z2cpwvsr1br2bkgfphjwwxpxi/playlist/6SA6a5HhFaJAaBytUyW4iU?si=1aMbgHPkSvWOcKn1ZBod7g) and the following note:
> 
> R - So this was the 70s so lots of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, haha. I cheated with the last one, but this is my song I listened to a thousand times, like you and Joni Mitchell, so I added it anyway! lmk what you think. - E
> 
> Regina responded in kind a few hours later with [this playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/z2cpwvsr1br2bkgfphjwwxpxi/playlist/65cA28a0l07EU5YHDBJijR?si=wGKTxBzoRgiv0RgBnCUWTw) and note:
> 
> Emma, Some of these kept me company long ago, and others are more recent discoveries. There may even be some of those surprises you are so fond of. But mostly I hope you find something here that speaks to you. -- Regina
> 
> ***********
> 
> That's it, folks. Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you think. :-) You can also find me on Twitter, @spookycatSQ.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated to include this awesome art made by @swan_mills7 depicting the disaster that started it all!

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/31576518@N03/44430180282/in/dateposted-public/)


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